Fundraiser now for music show

Hudson Music Club is venturing into uncharted territory this weekend with a dynamic revue that will raise funds for its “mega-scale production of The Music Man next spring.” “The fundraiser Broadway Then and Now is a new endeavor for us,” said president Gail Marchand, adding “the cost of staging a show like The Music Man can be enormous. In the cast alone there are 45 people.”

In addition, the club will donate a portion of the proceeds from its 52nd production in March to its adopted charity of recent years. “La Passerelle is an off-island shelter for women who have been victims of conjugal violence. We’ve also done food and clothing drives for them,” said Marchand. “We like the money to go to a worthwhile cause,” she said, adding other organizations they’ve supported in the past, through an annual variety show and other means, include the Red Cross, NOVA, and Block Parents. Broadway Then and Now promises a lively showcase of tunes from the club’s repertoire and more. Audiences will be entertained with songs from some of the most memorable musicals of the past several decades, including Hello Dolly, Ragtime, Annie, Les Miserables, and Anything Goes (the club’s 2008 production). “What’s nice about this show is that there will be a lot of variety – solos, duets, medleys, and full choral,” said Marchand, whose involvements with HMC have included costume designer, producer, and on-stage appearances. “The benefit is a project we invited anyone in the club to join. We’ve had a huge group of volunteers working on it all summer. What we do is a real grass-roots effort, and for many members – including myself -- it’s a family affair. “We do it for the love of the art.” Members also get together for barbecues, Christmas carolling, outings to the theatre and other activities.

Broadway Then and Now will be presented Sept. 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. Regular tickets are $28.50; $24.50 for seniors and students. Tickets for the 2 p.m. matinee on the 27th are $24.50 (regular), $22.50 (students/seniors), and $12.50 (children). The venue is Hudson Village Theatre, 28 Wharf Rd. For reservations call 514-848-9696. The club also welcomes new members. For more information visit their website at www.hudsonstlazare.com/hudsonmusic.